Noomi Rapace has confessed she was in "so much pain" during the filming of her new action film Prometheus - but she loved every minute of it.

The Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows star plays a young scientist in Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi horror film, about a team of explorers who get into trouble in deep space.

"I was out there filming for about six months and it was super-intense, my body was in so much pain sometimes but it was absolutely amazing," Noomi revealed.

"I loved working with Ridley, he's one of my heroes. And he's even more amazing and incredible as a person than you'd think."

The Swedish actress, who found fame in the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo film, said her Prometheus character had similarities with Ripley, the heroine of Ridley's 1979 hit Alien.

She added: "She's an archaeologist, a scientist, and at the beginning of the movie she's a believer, she's full of hope and faith. Then in the middle of the movie something happens and she changes more into a warrior, and a fighter and a survivor.